Unfit to drive? GP can report you in secret

FAMILY doctors can now report patients they believe are unfit to drive – without telling them first.

tough new guidance, which comes into force today, says GPs have a duty to inform the authorities if a patient is driving against medical advice.

they no longer need a patient’s consent to alert the Driver and V ehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA).

the General Medical Council says doc - tors should ‘make every reasonable effort’ to persuade a person they think is unfit to drive to stop, and then inform the authorities if they believe there is a ‘risk of death or serious harm’ to others.

Doctors should, however , attempt to inform a patient of their intention to disclose personal information before contacting the DVLA. the updated guidance aims to help GPs balance their legal and ethical duties of confidentiality with wider public protection responsibilities.

Steve Gooding, of motoring research charity the RAC Foundation, said drivers with certain conditions might fear losing their licence if they declare their illness to the DVLA. But he said that with the right treatment, many conditions ‘will not lead to people having to hang up the keys’.

he added: ‘I would appeal to all drivers to ensure that they declare any relevant medical conditions to the D VLA to help keep all road users safe.’